Over 600 children undergo amputations each year due to lawn mower-related injuries.
According to the Amputee Coalition of America, for kids under the age of 10, major limb loss is most commonly caused by lawn mowers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that adolescents and older kids are most often hurt by lawn mowers when trying to earn money or taking on cutting the grass as a chore.
But lawn mower accidents are preventable.
When using any type of lawn mower, follow these guidelines:
· Never allow children to play on a lawn mower, even if it is turned off.
· Never allow a child to ride on a riding lawn mower with you.
· Keep your children indoors and do not allow other children to play nearby while you are mowing.
· Children should be at least 12 years old before operating any lawn mower and at least 16 years old to operate a riding mower.
The Amputee Coalition of America provides a safety checklist based on information from the American Academy of Pediatrics. They recommend keeping the list near mowing equipment.
BEFORE MOWING:
Pick up stones, toys and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.
Use eye and hearing protection.
Start and refuel mowers outdoors, never in a garage.
Blade settings – ADULTS ONLY
WHILE MOWING:
Only use mowers with automatic shut-down abilities, such as those with a control that stops motion when the handle is released.
Don’t mow in reverse unless necessary, and watch out for others.
AFTER MOWING
Wait for blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel roads.
